Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.5.5

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Passage 2.5.5: Burnt temple near Corinth, reputedly dedicated to Apollo or to Olympian Zeus.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἐκ Κορίνθου δὲ οὐκ ἐς μεσόγαιαν ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Σικυῶνα ἰοῦσι ναὸς ἐμπεπρησμένος ἐστὶν οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως, ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ τῆς ὁδοῦ. γεγόνασι μὲν δὴ καὶ ἄλλοι πόλεμοι περὶ τὴν Κορινθίαν καὶ πῦρ ἐπέλαβεν ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς καὶ οἰκίας καὶ ἱερὰ τὰ ἔξω τείχους· ἀλλὰ τοῦτόν γε τὸν ναὸν Ἀπόλλωνος εἶναι λέγουσι καὶ ὅτι Πύρρος κατακαύσειεν ὁ Ἀχιλλέως αὐτόν. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ἤκουσα καὶ ἄλλο τοιόνδε, ὡς οἱ Κορίνθιοι Διὶ ποιήσαιντο Ὀλυμπίῳ τὸν ναὸν καὶ ὡς ἐξαίφνης πῦρ ποθὲν ἐμπεσὸν διαφθείρειεν αὐτόν.

English Translation

As one proceeds from Corinth not inland, but along the road towards Sicyon, there is a burnt temple not far from the city, on the left side of the route. There have indeed been other wars around Corinthian territory, and it is probable that fire destroyed houses and shrines outside the city walls. Nonetheless, they say this temple belonged to Apollo and that Pyrrhus son of Achilles burned it down. At a later time, however, I heard another account, that the Corinthians built the temple dedicated to Olympian Zeus, and that suddenly a fire fell upon it from some unknown source and destroyed it.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Corinthians (Κορίνθιοι) other
Olympios (Ὀλύμπιος) other
Also in: 3.14.5
Pyrrhus (Πύρρος) person
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς) person
Corinthia (Κορινθία) place Q12899460
Corinth (Κόρινθος) place Q1363688 Pleiades
Sicyon (Σικυών) place Q368628 Pleiades
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